


you'll never feel like you're alone

by the_taste_of_ink



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Homophobic Language, Louis and Zayn are bros, M/M, Photographer Harry, Pride Parade, it's brief though!!, sorry about that folks, zouis are harry's knight in vans and denim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:34:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25398493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_taste_of_ink/pseuds/the_taste_of_ink
Summary: Harry almost has his first pride parade experience ruined until someone comes in to lend a hand.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, eventually at least
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32
Collections: Prompt 3.4: Sin





	you'll never feel like you're alone

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a little drabble that I want to make into a fic but I ran out of time (did NOT use it wisely oops) so we shall see how it goes. Want to give y'all a heads up there is one part near the end that may trigger some folks. There is homophobic language, queer is used as a slur at directed at Harry. 
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "sin". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sin), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1-3), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/622306139518926848/wordplay-2020-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).

Harry walked along the edge of the parade, and for the first time, he felt free. 

He had always wanted to come to pride, ever since he heard about it in college; but he could never work up the courage to go. He knew he was gay, has known since sixth form, but he has never been out to anyone. And going to pride always felt like a huge statement that he hadn’t been quite ready for. 

Not until he was in a place where he could handle himself financially and wouldn’t have to worry about his parents finding out. And he didn’t think his mother or step father would mind that he was gay, or even take offense to it. But. 

But the thought was always there in the back of his mind.  _ What if they find out what if they hate me what will I do? _

So he waited. 

He waited until he was done with uni and then he waited until he found his dream job and he waited until he found the right flat with great roommates and waited and waited until here he was finally. Twenty-seven and at his first pride. 

Niall, his flat mate, walked along with him holding hands with his boyfriend Shawn. 

And Harry has never felt safe like this before. Sure, he and Niall and Shawn has been out to gay clubs and been around other gay people, but Harry could always feel imaginary eyes on him. As if someone was taking note of everything he did and would report back to the proper authorities, whomever that even was. And that always kept Harry back from truly being out and happy in public. 

But here, there was nothing but love and acceptance and freedom. 

The streets were packed with all different types of floats and people who were all out and proud and Harry felt something in his chest loosen. 

Shawn gasped and pointed at a man walking a group of dogs, all of whom were wearing different little pride flag tutus. 

“I want one! Look how cute!” Shawn said happily, making Niall laugh. They were walking with the LGBTQ+ youth group Niall mentors on his off days, and so they were in the actual parade. At first Harry said he wasn’t going to come. He wanted to be there but he didn’t want the attention. But in the crowd he felt both seen and invisible; like he knew everyone in the huge crowd saw him as one of them, while still being an autonomous face in the crowd. It felt freeing. 

Harry held up his camera and snapped a few photos of the pride puppies as they walked past, chuckling at Shawn’s enthusiasm. 

He stepped to the size and snapped a few more pictures, trying to capture this feeling, this memory with him forever. 

One of the floats behind him was blasting music and the weather was perfect, he could smell the food vendors along the parade making his stomach growl. 

He turned to tell Niall and Shawn they should get one of the hotdogs when he realized his friends were gone. 

Harry looked around in a panic, trying to find them but the parade had moved ahead. Harry followed behind trying to find the group, they were all in matching shirts, they shouldn’t be hard to find.

He pulled out his phone and called them, but there was no reply. He wasn’t going to freak out, he knew how to get home and Niall would call him back as soon as he realized Harry was missing. 

So Harry just wandered with the parade. 

He made sure to take as many pictures as possible. He wanted to remember this for the rest of his life. Everyone in the parade was dancing and singing as they walked; the crowd was cheering and waving flags of all colors. 

It was truly beautiful. 

The parade turned a corner, and where there was joy and cheers; all Harry could see were the signs. 

**GOD HATES PRIDE**

**YOUR HOMOSEXUAL ARE SIN**

**PRIDE IS SIN**

**SIN and SHAME NOT PRIDE **

And Harry paused. 

Where there was joy and laughter, there was now unbelievable hatred. It was like stepping into a different world.  He didn’t think people actually did this. Actually came out to shame others for being proud of who they were. He stood in front of the crowd and couldn’t move. 

One of the bigots noticed they had his attention and started shouting directly at him instead of at the parade themselves and he felt his face flame and his heart lodge itself in his throat. 

“God hates queers!” One of them yelled at him.  Another threw something at him making him flinch back in shock.  More and more of them started screaming at him. Hurling threats and curses he hasn’t heard since he came out in sixth form. Words he thought no longer had any power over him. 

He felt tears start to come to his eyes when another voice yelled out “Oi! How about you bastards fuck off!” surprising Harry into looking away from the crowd. 

“You alright mate?” another voice asked, placing a bracing hand on his shoulder. 

Harry turned to the man who gave him a crooked grin, “Let's move away from here, yeah?” he said in a thick accent. Harry found himself nodding and following the man, while his friend continued to hurl insults back at the crowd. “Louis! Let’s go mate” the man said. 

Harry turned to look at this Louis and his breath caught. 

If the first man was beautiful, this man was unreal.  He turned to Harry with his blue eyes narrowed in concern. “You alright, love? Don’t let those cunts ruin your day yeah?” 

Harry just nodded dumbly. 

He couldn’t quite get his mouth to work. The man, Louis, took Harry’s hand and dragged him along. “Come on then, we’re going to walk to the end of the parade together.”

“I hear there’s a party at the end” the other man said. “I’m Zayn, that’s Louis, nice to meet you”

“I’m Harry.”

Louis checked him over for a second and smirked. “Alright Harold, let's get to that party!” 

His day looks like it was going to be alright. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
